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Sadiq Khan gives green light to 14-storey scheme rejected by council
Sadiq Khan has approved a controversial 14-storey development that was originally rejected by the local council as he steps up efforts to deliver more affordable housing.
Sadiq Khan gives green light to 14-storey scheme rejected by council #ukhousing The mayor of London called in the 168-home scheme at Osiers Road in Wandsworth in June, after the council threw out the plans on the grounds that the development was too big.
It is the second major development, originally rejected by a council, Mr Khan has waved through in the space of three months.
He granted the proposals at Osiers Road today, following a public hearing, and increased the level of affordable housing on the site from 39% to 100%. However today’s decision has been strongly criticised by a Wandsworth councillor who said residents’ views had been "ignored".
A total of 93 homes will be shared ownership and 75 homes will be available at social rent, the mayor’s office said.
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The scheme will also have 4,000 sqm of commercial space, including offices, cafes, restaurants and shops.
A children’s play area, 25 new trees and 384 cycle parking spaces are also planned.
The planning application states proposals for “demolition of existing buildings and erection of a mixed-use development in buildings ranging in height between 10 and 14 storeys”.
Guy Humphries, chair of the planning applications committee at the Conservative-controlled Wandsworth Council, branded the mayor’s decision “a bad day for local democracy" as the views of local people had been "comprehensively ignored”.
More than 350 objections were received to the scheme, the council said. Mr Humphries added: “What the mayor has effectively said today to locally elected planning committee members across London is that you should not disagree with planning officers to support your residents’ concerns."
Mr Khan has faced fierce criticism over his record on affordable housing, with Conservatives earlier this year accusing him of “double counting” on starts.
His office said the Osiers Road development will represent 83% of the total number of affordable homes completed in Wandsworth in 2017/18 – and will meet 12% of the affordable housing target in Wandsworth’s own local plan.
The planning application was made by developer Hollybrook. The firm will be expected to pay “more than” £80,000 to fund local apprenticeships during construction and in the future, the mayor’s office said.
Mr Khan said: “This development will provide a significant number of much-needed new social rented and other genuinely affordable homes in an area where supply has consistently failed to meet targets.
“I’m clear that I will use all the levers at my disposal to increase the delivery of new genuinely affordable homes across the capital.”
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